The Journey, chapter 39 = previous chapter
Chapter 40; Trouble
The ground started to get mushy, a heavy dampness in the air, as they came to the marshes. Neko looked at Loki who was sitting on Kimbo’s head with his own tucked under his wings. The wolves looked around, with eager anticipation, wanting to explore.
“Is this the right direction?” He asked poking Loki impatiently.
Loki ruffled his feathers and stretched his wings. “Swamps, smelly swamps… direction right.” He squawked.
With a slot trot forward, Nekonata carefully navigated trying his best to avoid any hidden holes. Kimbo snorted, her breath forming a misty vapour from her nostrils.
They now walked in single file, Kristolia to the front and Santaya at the rear.
A few tall trees were scattered about, as daylight started to fade Nekonata noticed red eyes of all sizes watching him. He could tell which were owls, squirrels and other animals.
“They are nocturnal here, everyone needs to be careful and watch where they are going.” Nekonata said quietly, after a few minutes he pulled a long stick from his backpack, wrapped a strip of cloth around it and carefully poured some oil on to the cloth , “Fajro”, he muttered and purple fire sprang to life on the oil soaked cloth, Nekonata lifted the torch above his head to light the way.
Santaya snarled and everyone froze, a red-eyed mouse stopped in front of them, three times the size of a normal mouse, staring. Suddenly a loud screech came from a nearby tree, and the flutter of wings rushed down in a furry, faster than a blur an owl dived into view snatching the mouse from the floor in front of them, the owl hovered in front of them and then flew off.
“What the hell? Why are they so big?” Neko muttered.
“Swamps strange, strange indeed!” There was no squawk in his voice this time, just pure nerves.
A short while later Nekonata noticed a deep heavy mist enveloping the horizon, the air was getting colder, and their torch flickered. Kristolia whining and Santaya's ears pricked upwards, Loki turned his head to look behind. Nekonata shifted his weight in Kimbo's saddle, and the horse snorted. Sounds of metal striking metal could be heard in the distance, harrowing ear piercing screams shattered the silence. Nekonata tensed up, as misty shadows started to appear, fighting each other. They stopped moving and remained frozen watching all that was happening. When the misty shadows disappeared, they continued forward slowly.
“Loki, what the fuck is? This isn’t normal!”
Loki gulped nervously, “Haunted, reliving time long gone…” The raven whispered quietly.
He instinctively drew his sword. It flashed bright purple piercing the dark mist, his torch flickered out as it fell into the watery bog.
“Damn!” He muttered.
The misty figures reappeared, slowly moving forward they started to circle around Nekonata and his companions, Kimbo snorted nervously, scraping her hooves against the ground, the wolves snarled loudly, baring their fangs.
“Make fire” squawked Loki, “Make fire”
Nekonata reached into his supplies and grabbed a stick, he tore a piece of cloth from the bottom of his cloak, and soaked it in the oil, “Fajro” he muttered. The misty shadows stepped back as fire sprung to life.
“They don't like fire!” Nekonata shouted. “Move forward slowly and stay close to me” Nekonata starts to swing the fire torch around, and the misty shadows fall further back. Nekonata, however, didn't realise that an army of Misty Shadows was gathering just out of site in the darkness.
“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” Boomed a voice in the distance “HOW DARE YOU THREATEN MY MEN!” The voice was getting closer.
“Your men threatened me, and my companions,” Nekonata replied loud enough to be heard. “Who are you?”
“YOU COME INTO MY LAND AND THREATEN MY TROOPS AND CLAIM NOT TO KNOW ME!!! DISGRACEFUL!” The booming voice is louder still.
“I am not from these lands, I am just a simple traveller on my way to Edena.” Nekonata said, trying to stay calm. He swung the torch in front of him, trying to find where the voice was coming from.
“I AM MORGAN, CAPTAIN TO THE IMPERIAL SOLDIERS, I EMBRACE THE LAND WITH KING OLSON'S POWER” Came the voice stepping closer so Nekonata could see him. Although a misty shadow the figures' features were still clear to see, He was a tall strong set man, a man of pure authority. It was clear he looked after his armour and his appearance.
Just as Neko was about to pay homage to the Legendary Captain, Morgan drew his sword and pointed it at him.
“I DO NOT LIKE TRESPASSERS!” He shouted, his sword swung down to signal the attack.
Santaya and Kristolia growled and howled as the misty figures charged towards them. Nekonata was knocked off his horse, when he opened his eyes he saw Morgan standing over him with his sword raised above his head ready to strike.
Nekonata's eyes rolled, an inner strength building inside him... He felt a pressure in his mind and body, a very strong presence starting to take over “KVAILAS!” The voice in his mind, the voice was male. Nekonata tried to fight it, but it was too strong. Suddenly he found that he had no control over his own body, he saw his arm trying to reach the torch, taking it by the tips of his fingers, pulling it towards him.
“MY FIRST KILL IN A WHILE!” Shouted Morgan, excited.
“Provocet orta murus ignis in conspectu meo!” Came a voice from Nekonata's mouth, a voice not his own. Nekonata saw the torch flicker stronger. Morgan's eyes went wide. “PROVOCET ORTA MURUS IGNIS IN CONSPECTU MEO!” The voice was even stronger. A moment later a huge wall of fire shot forward from the fire on the torch. Morgan’s eyes wide with horror...
RETREAT, RETREAT, RETREAT” Morgan shouted.
Neko, still unable to control his body, stood up, mounted his horse, Kimbo and started to run through the maze of the swamps... The last thing Nekonata saw was a massive ball of white fire that shot out of nowhere high above their heads and continued till it disappeared over the Termini Mountains. As the presence left him, Nekonata passed out, slumping in the saddle. Kimbo seemed to realise exactly what the sky fire meant and he followed it out of the swamps.
They came to a grassy knoll on the edge of the swamp. Kimbo slowly trotted up it and once at the top, he stopped to have a drink from the small stream that was trickling back down into the Swamp.
Nekonata disoriented slowly came round and sat up in the saddle. Kristolia and Santaya lay on the grass resting. Once Nekonata came fully too, he looked around and realised they were no longer in the Swamps, he saw the stream and quickly feeling very thirsty he slid from the saddle and joined Kimbo to drink.
“I couldn’t move my body, it was like someone else had control, what happened Loki?”
The raven didn’t answer, he just stared out into the distance over the grassy knoll.
“Loki! What happened? How long was I out for?”
He looked at Nekonata and simply replied “Sleep, 3 days.” Then he stretched his wings and took off to the skies flying in a circle above their heads.
Neko groaned in frustration, “Well, if you're going to fly above our heads you could at least point us in the right direction!”
Loki didn’t say a word, he just started to fly in the direction he wanted them to go in, and they all followed. They continued on in silence throughout the night to try and make up for lost time. After what felt like a lifetime they eventually came to a pass between some mountains, the mountains loomed tall and menacingly, a few trees dotted the valley pass.
Loki swooped down and landed on what had become his favourite spot, Kimbo’s head. Santaya ran forward as if to scout up ahead. Kristolia stayed by his side. Slowly they started to walk through. Neko felt something, like a probing thought, a strange sensation as if someone or something was trying to read his intentions, he looked around confused. Loki noticed, and watched his friend curiously.
Santi came back and started to walk by his side again. They came to a small curve in the valley, the view blotted out by a jagged spur of overhanging cliff. The sun shone down, and a beautiful flower glowed, so bright it looked like it was pure gold. That probing feeling reached his mind again, this time a soft quiet voice said in his mind ‘Take me, Strange one, for I am needed’
“Who are you? Where are you?” Neko called out, looking around, his voice echoing through the valley, but he got no response. Neko sighed, “The golden flower, please could you get it for me Loki?”
The raven flew up to the overhanging jagged spur, sniffed the flower and sneezed. As carefully as the raven could, he pulled at the stem of the flower, flew back down to give it to the boy.
“Hmm, it has a different aura to its natural colour. Its aura is a soft green colour. Gold and green…” Neko carefully put the flower in his cloak pocket, and they continued to move forward.
Chapter 40; Trouble
The ground started to get mushy, a heavy dampness in the air, as they came to the marshes. Neko looked at Loki who was sitting on Kimbo’s head with his own tucked under his wings. The wolves looked around, with eager anticipation, wanting to explore.
“Is this the right direction?” He asked poking Loki impatiently.
Loki ruffled his feathers and stretched his wings. “Swamps, smelly swamps… direction right.” He squawked.
With a slot trot forward, Nekonata carefully navigated trying his best to avoid any hidden holes. Kimbo snorted, her breath forming a misty vapour from her nostrils.
They now walked in single file, Kristolia to the front and Santaya at the rear.
A few tall trees were scattered about, as daylight started to fade Nekonata noticed red eyes of all sizes watching him. He could tell which were owls, squirrels and other animals.
“They are nocturnal here, everyone needs to be careful and watch where they are going.” Nekonata said quietly, after a few minutes he pulled a long stick from his backpack, wrapped a strip of cloth around it and carefully poured some oil on to the cloth , “Fajro”, he muttered and purple fire sprang to life on the oil soaked cloth, Nekonata lifted the torch above his head to light the way.
Santaya snarled and everyone froze, a red-eyed mouse stopped in front of them, three times the size of a normal mouse, staring. Suddenly a loud screech came from a nearby tree, and the flutter of wings rushed down in a furry, faster than a blur an owl dived into view snatching the mouse from the floor in front of them, the owl hovered in front of them and then flew off.
“What the hell? Why are they so big?” Neko muttered.
“Swamps strange, strange indeed!” There was no squawk in his voice this time, just pure nerves.
A short while later Nekonata noticed a deep heavy mist enveloping the horizon, the air was getting colder, and their torch flickered. Kristolia whining and Santaya's ears pricked upwards, Loki turned his head to look behind. Nekonata shifted his weight in Kimbo's saddle, and the horse snorted. Sounds of metal striking metal could be heard in the distance, harrowing ear piercing screams shattered the silence. Nekonata tensed up, as misty shadows started to appear, fighting each other. They stopped moving and remained frozen watching all that was happening. When the misty shadows disappeared, they continued forward slowly.
“Loki, what the fuck is? This isn’t normal!”
Loki gulped nervously, “Haunted, reliving time long gone…” The raven whispered quietly.
He instinctively drew his sword. It flashed bright purple piercing the dark mist, his torch flickered out as it fell into the watery bog.
“Damn!” He muttered.
The misty figures reappeared, slowly moving forward they started to circle around Nekonata and his companions, Kimbo snorted nervously, scraping her hooves against the ground, the wolves snarled loudly, baring their fangs.
“Make fire” squawked Loki, “Make fire”
Nekonata reached into his supplies and grabbed a stick, he tore a piece of cloth from the bottom of his cloak, and soaked it in the oil, “Fajro” he muttered. The misty shadows stepped back as fire sprung to life.
“They don't like fire!” Nekonata shouted. “Move forward slowly and stay close to me” Nekonata starts to swing the fire torch around, and the misty shadows fall further back. Nekonata, however, didn't realise that an army of Misty Shadows was gathering just out of site in the darkness.
“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” Boomed a voice in the distance “HOW DARE YOU THREATEN MY MEN!” The voice was getting closer.
“Your men threatened me, and my companions,” Nekonata replied loud enough to be heard. “Who are you?”
“YOU COME INTO MY LAND AND THREATEN MY TROOPS AND CLAIM NOT TO KNOW ME!!! DISGRACEFUL!” The booming voice is louder still.
“I am not from these lands, I am just a simple traveller on my way to Edena.” Nekonata said, trying to stay calm. He swung the torch in front of him, trying to find where the voice was coming from.
“I AM MORGAN, CAPTAIN TO THE IMPERIAL SOLDIERS, I EMBRACE THE LAND WITH KING OLSON'S POWER” Came the voice stepping closer so Nekonata could see him. Although a misty shadow the figures' features were still clear to see, He was a tall strong set man, a man of pure authority. It was clear he looked after his armour and his appearance.
Just as Neko was about to pay homage to the Legendary Captain, Morgan drew his sword and pointed it at him.
“I DO NOT LIKE TRESPASSERS!” He shouted, his sword swung down to signal the attack.
Santaya and Kristolia growled and howled as the misty figures charged towards them. Nekonata was knocked off his horse, when he opened his eyes he saw Morgan standing over him with his sword raised above his head ready to strike.
Nekonata's eyes rolled, an inner strength building inside him... He felt a pressure in his mind and body, a very strong presence starting to take over “KVAILAS!” The voice in his mind, the voice was male. Nekonata tried to fight it, but it was too strong. Suddenly he found that he had no control over his own body, he saw his arm trying to reach the torch, taking it by the tips of his fingers, pulling it towards him.
“MY FIRST KILL IN A WHILE!” Shouted Morgan, excited.
“Provocet orta murus ignis in conspectu meo!” Came a voice from Nekonata's mouth, a voice not his own. Nekonata saw the torch flicker stronger. Morgan's eyes went wide. “PROVOCET ORTA MURUS IGNIS IN CONSPECTU MEO!” The voice was even stronger. A moment later a huge wall of fire shot forward from the fire on the torch. Morgan’s eyes wide with horror...
RETREAT, RETREAT, RETREAT” Morgan shouted.
Neko, still unable to control his body, stood up, mounted his horse, Kimbo and started to run through the maze of the swamps... The last thing Nekonata saw was a massive ball of white fire that shot out of nowhere high above their heads and continued till it disappeared over the Termini Mountains. As the presence left him, Nekonata passed out, slumping in the saddle. Kimbo seemed to realise exactly what the sky fire meant and he followed it out of the swamps.
They came to a grassy knoll on the edge of the swamp. Kimbo slowly trotted up it and once at the top, he stopped to have a drink from the small stream that was trickling back down into the Swamp.
Nekonata disoriented slowly came round and sat up in the saddle. Kristolia and Santaya lay on the grass resting. Once Nekonata came fully too, he looked around and realised they were no longer in the Swamps, he saw the stream and quickly feeling very thirsty he slid from the saddle and joined Kimbo to drink.
“I couldn’t move my body, it was like someone else had control, what happened Loki?”
The raven didn’t answer, he just stared out into the distance over the grassy knoll.
“Loki! What happened? How long was I out for?”
He looked at Nekonata and simply replied “Sleep, 3 days.” Then he stretched his wings and took off to the skies flying in a circle above their heads.
Neko groaned in frustration, “Well, if you're going to fly above our heads you could at least point us in the right direction!”
Loki didn’t say a word, he just started to fly in the direction he wanted them to go in, and they all followed. They continued on in silence throughout the night to try and make up for lost time. After what felt like a lifetime they eventually came to a pass between some mountains, the mountains loomed tall and menacingly, a few trees dotted the valley pass.
Loki swooped down and landed on what had become his favourite spot, Kimbo’s head. Santaya ran forward as if to scout up ahead. Kristolia stayed by his side. Slowly they started to walk through. Neko felt something, like a probing thought, a strange sensation as if someone or something was trying to read his intentions, he looked around confused. Loki noticed, and watched his friend curiously.
Santi came back and started to walk by his side again. They came to a small curve in the valley, the view blotted out by a jagged spur of overhanging cliff. The sun shone down, and a beautiful flower glowed, so bright it looked like it was pure gold. That probing feeling reached his mind again, this time a soft quiet voice said in his mind ‘Take me, Strange one, for I am needed’
“Who are you? Where are you?” Neko called out, looking around, his voice echoing through the valley, but he got no response. Neko sighed, “The golden flower, please could you get it for me Loki?”
The raven flew up to the overhanging jagged spur, sniffed the flower and sneezed. As carefully as the raven could, he pulled at the stem of the flower, flew back down to give it to the boy.
“Hmm, it has a different aura to its natural colour. Its aura is a soft green colour. Gold and green…” Neko carefully put the flower in his cloak pocket, and they continued to move forward.
The Journey, Chapter 41
Chapter 41, Valley-o The valley was quiet and dull, the Kimbo’s hooves echoed and reverberated off the valley walls, the singular randomly dotted trees swayed in the light breeze, the sun shined hard, the rays beating down, Nekonata wiped the sweat off his brow with the edge of his cloak. “So...
www.chatzozo.com
Last edited:
